Collapsible bassinet



y 17, 1951 c. s. MCCARTHY 2,561,285

COLLAPSIBLE BASSINET Filed Nov. 28, 1947 s sheets-sheet 1 3 n l I A IE 13-; l I H"- T 20 67 2 l8 I K a j I l R 3| 3a 33 0 U ?6 4 54 6| U INVENTOR.

CHARLES S. M(ARTHY.

WW, Al i/ 6 ATTORNEYS .July 17, 1951 c. s. M CARTHY CCLLAPSIBLE BASSINET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 28, 1947 INVENTOR. CHARLES s. mcAR'rl-M BY a 9g nr'roauevs.

July 17, 1951 c. s. MCCARTHY 2,561,285

" COLLAPSIBLE BASSINET Filed Nov. 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ems-.13

l IKE-ll INVENTOR.

CHARLES s. wcmur.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE BASSINET Application November 28, 1947, Serial No. 788,600

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to a collapsible bassinet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible bassinet which may be quickly extended to open position or collapsed to closed position with a minimum of effort and attention.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible bassinet including collapsible lazy tong side members provided with means for engaging the bottom of the bassinet to prevent lateral displacement of the sides of the bassinet when the bassinet is in extended position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible bassinet having a bottom formed of two halves hinged together in combination with a dual purpose handle shaped to provide an interlock with the sides of the bassinet when the bassinet is extended to provide for rigidity of the entire structure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible bassinet having collapsible sides constructed of hinged links forming a lazy tong arrangement in combination with means spacing the links laterally from each other to avoid shearing action upon opening and closing of the bassinet.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bassinet comprising head and foot boards, a foldable bottom comprising halves hinged to the footboard, and headboard and to each other, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, and foldable supporting leg structures adapted to lie along the bottom of the bassinet.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible bassinet having a bottom structure composed of two halves, side structures in the form of collapsible lazy tongs, and interengaging supporting means at the bottom of the side structures and at the sides of the bottom structure to support the side structures against lateral displacement and to assist in supporting the bottom structure in operative position.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bassinet in open or extended position showing its legs extended to supporting position;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner in which the bottom portion and one leg of the side structure are secured to a head or footboard; I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 55, Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the supporting interlock provided by the handle;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the provision of a nesting recess in the bottom structure for receiving the transverse portion of the handle;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section on the line 8-8, Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side view of the pivot connection between a pair of links of the lazy tong construction;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section on the line Ill-l0, Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the interlock between the side construction and the bottom construction;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary section showing the clip which supports the leg structures in a folded or collapsed position;

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the collapsible bassinet in closed or collapsed position; and

Figure 14 is a simplified side elevation showing one manner of using the bassinet.

Referring now to the drawings, the collapsible bassinet comprises a headboard I I] and footboard ll. Secured to opposite sides of the head and footboards Ill and II are supporting brackets I2 which may be secured to the head and footboards by welding or riveting, as indicated at it. Brackets I2 have inwardly extending, full length flanges l4 and relatively short, inwardly extending flanges 15 provided adjacent the bottom thereof. A collapsible side structure indicated generally at I8 is provided, this structure being in the form of a lazy tong arrangement and comprising a plurality of generally S-shaped links I9, the ends of which are pivoted together as indicated at 20 and intermediate portions of which are pivoted together as indicated at 2|. The end link elements I 9 are pivoted to the head and footboards l0 and II, fixed pivots 22 being provided at the top of the side structure with the flange M, the bottoms of the end links having headed pins 25 slidable in vertically extending slots 26 formed adjacent the lower end of the flanges l4. As best seen in Figure 4, the vertical slots 26 are provided preferably with enlarged openings 21 adjacent the top to 3| and 32 pivoted respectively to the headboard l0 and footboard ll. formed of shaped sheet metal, as well illustrated The bottom= structureis in Figure 4, and comprises elongated sideribs':

33 of generally channel formation-interconnected by the transverse ribs 34." A 'centrallongitudinal" rib is formed by webbingsas indicated at 351111 Figure '7. The bottom halves 3| and 32 are hinged at their outer ends to the head "and'footboards and specificallyjthis hinged connection is provided=by;bolts .36 or the like passingithrough bolt-receiving gopenings, :formed: in the sfiange' i I 5 on the bracket l2 The adjacent edgesz-of the bottom :i-halves are extending through the transverse pivot portion. 49 of the handle, the spring having one end 53 engaging one of the brackets 40, all as illustrated in Figure 6. The efiect of the spring is to bias the handle upwardly when the bassinet is in extended position so that the parts occupy the dotted line position shown in Figure 5. Abutments fli are provided; on brackets 43; and will be en'gaged by-=the legs of the handle to insure proper registration between the recess 48 and the pins 5|.

The. construction just described provides for a very useful and important function. It will be apparent that since the handle 45 has inwardly -bent'portions wfwhich serve as the pivot connections between the adjacent ends of the bottomhalves-3|-and 32, and since upward movement of the handle from full line to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 6 releasesthe handle from pins 5!, it is possible to collapse the a sin t compl l simplyby ra in th transverse portion 46 of the handle andliftinggit. The-first. reflect. will be to .movethe handle 130 a position. in.- :which the pins '5 I: are releasedirom hingedstogethernand' form-this purpose-each ohzirrzhfis FHIEhBKIiftiHg-OfWhG a d is illustrated at 50 in Figure-.1, includeszanrine wardlyextending .pin- 5 I which. is :positionedrto be received within the --recess..||8 r-w-hen. thebassinet is in extended position-and whennthefhandletfi is..depressed to .the..full .line position illustrated Figuresiand 6. This-plQvidesan.interlock.

between the side structure l8-and the-:bottom structure. which imparts rigidity months bassinetin extended/positions As previously stated;- the bottom. structure inlcludes a central longitudinally, extending;.. rib formed by an aligned: series of-.-.webs-35, as.-illustrated-in; Figured. In order toreceive the :transverse portion: 46 w of the handle-below. the upper surtaeeof the-top structure, the appropriateone of-the webs. is .depressedtas, indicated- .at 1.55.:

in Figure 7 and th transverse portion- AB-ofcthe handle is ofiset .as indicatedvat 56:

The bassinet: has been designedso thatit may be extended. simply by, grasping the head. and footboard andmoving them apart, at which time the'bottom halves fall into .extendedposition and the sidestructures extend to the operative position show-min. Figure .1.: Atzthis timeinzorder toxsimplifythe operation and -toprovide ajconstruction. whichlis-substantially foolproof-,; it is:

desirable that the handle be retained= irt eposition. such that the recesses 48 .iormedtherein are in alignment with the pins-5|.- With this arrangement it-is then-only necessary for.v the user .to .depressthe handle to the full-line-.po-. sition. shown in 1 Figure: 6 :and the 1 bassinet is firmly; locked 1in-extended-positiona In :order to insurethat the-handle 45 remains inthe dotted line-..position.-oi Figure 5 as the bassinet is exend d a s rin 2 is provided a nsra portio raises" the -mutually,-.-hinged portions of the bottom sections 3| and 32 and will result in-parallel movement :of-therhead and footboards, toward each other and thepQllapse-Qfthe. lazy tong side :construction. Therefore the-.constructionaprovides-"foriopening the bassinet simply bygraspingg-thehead and footboards. and moving .them aparatafter .Which the parts are lockedin open position by depressing the handle. Theopening operation iseven simpler. and. comprises simply grasping the handle andv raising it, which, results in the complete collapse of the bassinet- In..-.order. to provide for additional. support Whenrlthe bassinet is in openor extended. posi- -tion,-.the side-flanges 33 oithe bottom sections are formed outwardlyas indicated at fill-.to providetdownwardly open camming. and. supporting pocketsor. recesses. Hooks 3 t,-..carrie.d .at the appropriateonesof the bottom pivot connections betweentlinks 19, have upwardly and..slig htly outwardlyextending flanges SZcadapted to registeryvith and. enter into the recessesfiil. Accordingly, the bottom halves 3| and.32 are supported iromthelazytong. structure when the bassinet is.-in ..open position. Inaddition. to the sup qrt thus provided thereis a secondsupportinginterlock; provided by, actuation of the, handle. from thetdottedtline tothe .full line position. as. seen in Figured. which has previously been described. It .may be observed ,at .this time. that the supporting interlock provided by the recesses 48 receiving the pins 5| is. primarily. asupport against. downward movement of the bottom halves-3| and Y32 whereas thevv interlockingsupport between the recesses. and cammin flanges -.B2 .not only supports. the bottom .halves 3 {and 32 against. downward movement but .also supports. the relatively flexible lazytong side constructions against outward movement.

The bassinet is ordinarily provided with fabric side covers (not-shown) and itiscontemplated that in collapsed position it may contain .not only; a mattress .pad but possibly a sheetor the like. It is therefore-desirable-that the lazy tong construction-be arranged to prevent ashearing action astthelink elements I!) thereof move-over each other between openand closed position. In. order toxaccomplish this: desirable result the construction. best illustrated, in Figures ,3, 8 and 9 is. employed. The link elements I 9 attire-sides are formed of sheet metal and each is provided with formed portions or abutments 65. As best seen in Figure 8, the abutment 65 on one set of links is provided with a rivet-receiving opening 66. The bottom wall of the abutment 65 on the cooperating link has an extruded rivet portion 67 which in assembly is extended through the opening 66 and riveted over to provide a pivot connection between the links. The result of the construction just described is that portions of the links l9 which would otherwise slide over each other and provide a shearing effect are spaced apart by an amount equal to twice the height of the abutments 65. In order that this construction may be provided and still main tain the sides in parallelism with the flanges I4, the end links of the lazy tong structure are preferably secured to the flanges I4 as illustrated in Figure 3. Here it will be noted that the upper end of the end link I9 is secured to one side of the flange I4 and the bottom end of the cooperating end link is secured to the opposite side of the flange I4.

The construction includes supporting legs for the bassinet, these legs being indicated at 15 and preferably being formed of bent rod construction welded or otherwise secured together. Two such leg constructions are provided, one being provided to the headboard and one being provided to the footboard. Conveniently, the leg construction I5 may be pivoted to the short flanges [5 formed on the supporting brackets l2. Adjacent the lower ends of the leg constructions are preferably provided wheels 16 so that the bassinet construction may be rolled on the floor. The leg constructions 1-5 are each foldable to collapsed position against the underside of the adjacent one of the bottom halves 3| and 32 and for this purpose spring catches 11 are provided on the underside of the bottom halves in position to receive and engage a lower crosspiece I8 on the leg construction. A collapsible bracing strut I9 is provided which is adapted to assume an over-center locking position when the legs are extended so as to positively prevent accidental collapse of the legs when the bassinet is in use.

Since the common pivot connection between the bottom halves 3| and 32 is displaced substantially from their plane as indicated in Figure 5, the bottom halves are spaced apart a substantial distance when the bassinet is collapsed and this provides room intermediate the bottom halves when in closed position to receive the folded leg structure 15 and the wheels 16, all as well illustrated in Figure 13.

In Figure 13 the bassinet is illustrated in closed position and a foldable mattress pad 80 is indicated as included therein. In this figure the handle 45 is shown in full lines in the position which it will occupy as a result of being spring biased against the stop 54. Hinge brackets 40 are, however, provided with additional stops 8! whose function is to determine the position of the handle 45 when it is employed to lift and carry the bassinet. In Figure 13 the carrying position of the handle 45 is illustrated in dotted lines and it will be observed that the legs thereof are at this time in engagement with the stops or abutments 8|.

Referring now to Figure 14, there is illustrated one possible use of the collapsible bassinet. In this figure the bassinet is shown with one leg structure 15 extended and the other leg structure in folded position against the bottom. The

leg structures 15 are of a height such that when the device is supported in an automobile one end with the legs folded may rest upon the seat and the other end may be supported by the leg structure in extended position, at which time the bassinet will remain substantially horizontal.

The bassinet is accordingly adapted to assume four positions. These positions are the closed or folded position; the open or extended position with both legs folded, at which time it may be supported upon a chair pad, table or the like; a third position in which one of the leg structures is extended and the other is folded and the bassinet is supported by one leg structure and by independent supporting means, such, for example, as an automobile seat; and finally the open or extended position in which the bassinet is supported by both legs in open or extended position.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved collapsible bassinet in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards, a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and foot boards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a handle pivotally secured to said bottom, and means on said sides engageable by said handle when said bassinet is extended to lock said bassinet in extended position.

2. A folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards, a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a bail-like handle pivotally secured to said bottom adjacent the mutual hinge of the two halves thereof, pin-receiving recesses in the legs of said handle, and pins extending inwardly from the mid portions of said sides, said pins entering said recesses when said handle is pressed down against the bassinet bottom.

3. A folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards, a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a bail-like handle pivotally secured to said bottom adjacent the mutual hinge of the two halves thereof, pin-receiving recesses in the legs of said handle, pins extending inwardly from the mid portions of said sides, and spring means biasing said handle in a direction to align said pins and recesses when said bassinet is extended, said pins entering said recesses when said handle is pressed down against the bassinet bottom.

4. A folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards, a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a bail-like handle pivotally secured to said bottom adjacent the mutual hinge of the two halves thereof, pin-receiving recesses in the legs of said handle, pins extending inwardly from the mid portions of said sides, and spring means biasing said handle in a direction to align said I pins and recesses when said bassinet is extended,

therein for receiving;transverseportions-bf said handle below the top surfaceof said bottom.-

5. A- folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards, a bottom formed-of two halves hinged to i the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards; collapsible sides of' lazy tong conhinged together midway between the head and footboard's, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction; ahandle pivotally-secured to said bottom at the hinge interconnecting the two halves thereof, said. handle comprising a pair of arms each provided with a pin-receiving. recess andanuppertransverse portion shaped to'lie across thebottom of said bassinet; pins carried by the bottoms-of said sides 'engageable in said recesses when-said handle is'folded down into engagement with the bottomf saidbassinet, spring means biasing. said handle away-from the bottom of said bassinet in extended" position, and stop means for said handle effective to align said pins and recesses when said bassinet is extended.

7. k-folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards', a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a handle pivotally secured to said bottomat'the hinge interconnecting the two halves :thereof, said handle comprisinga pair of armse'ach provided-With a pin-receiving recess and anupper transverse portion shaped to lie across the bottom of said bassinet, pins carried by the bottoms of said'sides engageable in said recesses when said handle is folded down into engagement with the bottom of said bassinet, springmeans biasing said handle away from the bottom of said bassinet in extended position, first stop means for said handle effective to align-said pins and recesses when said bassinet is extended, and second stop means effective to limit movement of said handle to approximately central position when said bassinet is folded.

8: A folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards, a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tongconstruction, and cooperating interlocking elementscarried at the bottom of saidsides and at the: edges of said bottom engageable automatically' upon extension of said bassinet to support said sides against lateral displacement.

9. A folding bassinet comprising rigid head and footboards; a bottom formed of two halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and-hinged together midway between the head and-footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, cooperating interlocking elements carried at the bottom of said sides and at the edges of said bottom engageable automatically upon extension of said bassinet to support said sides against lateral displacement, said elements comprising. upwardly extending: hooks carried at the bottom of said bassinet-sides, and downwardly opencamming and interlocking recesses at the edges of said bassinet bottom halves in position to engage" said hooks assaid bassinet is extended.

10. A collapsible bassinet comprising head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a bottom comprisingbottom halves hinged at opposite ends to the: head and-footboards, and having their adjacent'ends hinged together, and a carryinghandle secured to said bottom halves adjacent their mutual hingeso that lifting on said hand-lecollapsesthe bassinet, the hinge between said bottom halves at their adjacent ends including pivot pins carried-by said handle.

11. A collapsible bassinet comprising head and footboards, collapsible sides of lazy tong construction, a bottom comprising bottom halves hinged at opposite ends to the head and footboards, and having their adjacent ends provided with pivot pin receiving openings, a wire carrying handle having bent end portions extending through the pivot-receiving openings, andcooperating loclzing means on saidhandle and the sides of said bassinet inposition-to be engaged by downward movement of-said handle into the plane of said bottom when said bassinet-is open,

whereby said bassinet may be unloched-andcollapsed by simple lifting movement of said handle.

12-. A collapsible bassinet comprising head and footboards, collapsible sides, a bottom comprising bottom halves hinged at opposite ends tothe head'and'footboards; andhaving their adjacent ends provided with pivotpim-receiving openings, a wire carrying handlehaving bent end portions extending through the pivotreceiving openings, and cooperating locking means on said handleand the sides of said bassinet in position to be engaged by downward movement of said handle into the plane of said bottom when said bassinetis open, whereby said bassinet may beunlocked-and collapsed by simple lifting movement of said handle.

13. A folding bassinet comprising rig-id head and footboards, a bottom formed oftwo halves hinged to the head and footboards respectively and hinged together midway between the head and footboards, collapsible sides, a bail-like handle pivotally secured to said bottom-adjacent the mutual hinge of the two halves thereof, pin-receiving. recesses in the legs of said handle, and pins extending inwardly from-the mid portions of said sides,- said .pinsentering said recesses when said'handle is pressed down against the bassinet bottom.

CHARLES S. MCCARTHY.

REFERENCES CITED The-following references are of record-in the file'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

